Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

What is the DBS?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) acts as a 'one stop-shop' for organisations, checking police records and, in relevant cases, information held by the Department of Health (DH) and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The DBS is run as an executive agency of the Home Office by civil servants, and delivers the service though a number of strategic partners. The DBS formally known by the name of Criminal Records Bureau until December 2012.

The DBS service enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that involving children and vulnerable adults. The Criminal Records Bureau was established under Part V of the Police Act 1997 and was launched in March 2002, after review the services undertaken by the CRB were merged and formed the Disclosure and Barring Service in December 2012.

Who requires a DBS check for studying with Anglia Ruskin University?

A DBS Enhanced Disclosure is a compulsory requirement of any offer to study on courses which require you to work with children and/or vulnerable adults. This check will confirm whether you have any criminal convictions, cautions or reprimands registered against you, and is necessary to protect both you and the public against people who are unsuitable to work with children and/or vulnerable adults.

Further details on DBS disclosures can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk or www.gov.uk or by contacting the DBS information line on 0870 9090 844 or Anglia Ruskin University's Criminal Records Officer at crb@anglia.ac.uk

Courses listed below all have a compulsory DBS Enhanced Level clearance requirement to be obtained through Anglia Ruskin University prior to the start of the course.

Ophthalmic Dispensing Optometry
BSc Nursing - all branches Operating Department Practice
Healthcare Sciences Midwifery
PGCE Education - Primary and Secondary MA & BA Social Work
Sports, Health and Exercise Youth and Community Work
Dramatherapy Music Therapy
Counselling Osteopathy
Early Years Professional Status All non QTS Education courses

Can I use a DBS Disclosure I already have?

DBS Enhanced Disclosures are only acceptable if they have been completed with Anglia Ruskin University as the DBS Registered Body and are less than 6 months old at course commencement.

We are unable to accept any DBS Disclosure completed though other organisations and at this time do not support portability. Please note our processes will be reviewed in line with changes the government is making to the DBS system.

How do I get a DBS check?

For the majority of the courses above, once you have been invited to interview and received a conditional or unconditional offer which you choose to accept, you will be sent, by post, a DBS application pack. The application must be completed and brought to your 'Welcome day' along with your original documentation. Details on Welcome Days will be provided to you by your Admissions Officer.

Your DBS application and documents will be processed by the DBS Officer on the 'Welcome Day' and all original documentation will be given back to you before you leave. If any further information or documentation is required you will be notified by the DBS Officer.

If you are not required to attend an interview for your course of study, you will be sent a DBS Disclosure application and informed of the process for the completion of this.

The current cost of a DBS application is £44.00 (January 2012) and you will be required to pay this amount to Anglia Ruskin University for your Disclosure. Anglia Ruskin University acts as a Registered Body of the DBS and we do not make any additional administrative charges for processing your DBS application.

The DBS operates on a four to six week processing schedule; however some applications can take longer. Once your DBS application has been sent to the CRB for processing you will be able to check the status of your application online at the Disclosure and Barring Service website. To use this service you will need your Form number (found in the top right hand corner of your CRB application form) and your date of birth.

The Disclosure certificate is a very important document which should be kept securely. You will be required to bring it with you when you start your course. If you lose your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate you will be required to apply for another at your own expense.

Be prepared for the manager of your placement to ask to see your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate. Please do not allow anyone to keep hold of your Disclosure certificate as you may need to refer to it multiple times.

Applicants living overseas

CRB checks can only be conducted for candidates with home addresses in the UK. Offers for applicants based overseas will be confirmed on the basis of a letter from either the British High Commission or their local constabulary confirming that they have no criminal convictions and are of good character. They will complete and submit their CRB application as soon as they move to a UK address and will not be permitted to attend placement until a satisfactory CRB disclosure certificate is received.

How do I submit the £44 DBS payment?

To make payment for your DBS application please visit our online store where you will be taken to our secure online payment system.

If you are unable to make a payment through the online payment system, please contact the DBS Officer to discuss further options on 0845 196 4984 or email crbpayments@anglia.ac.uk.

What should I do if I have a reprimand, caution or conviction?

If you have received a reprimand, caution or conviction you should declare this on your UCAS/GTTR or online course application and also on your DBS application form.

Please refer to our Recruitment of Ex-Offenders literature further information.

Once the DBS Officer has received your DBS application form you will be contacted and in the first instance requested to submit a statement of events. You should include as much detail as possible about the events leading up to and the receipt of the reprimand, caution or conviction including the outcomes (costs/fines etc) and the lessons you have learned from the experience.

This information will be securely kept under Anglia Ruskin University's Storage and Retention policy until your completed DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate is received. The information provided will be assessed alongside the DBS Disclosure certificate and will either be recommended that the application can 'proceed' and sent to the Director or Dean of the faculty for confirmation, or you will be contacted and requested to submit a further independent reference and any court/police related information on the offence. This will be presented to a Disclosure Panel, consisting of academic staff, the Director or Dean of the Faculty and where appropriate an NHS HR Manager.

The Disclosure Panel will then review the information and make a recommendation, which will be conveyed to the applicant by letter. This could be that your application is withdrawn, deferred or that you are able to continue.

It is also imperative that if you received a reprimand, caution or conviction whilst studying on your course that you contact the DBS Officer immediately on 0845 196 4984.

Storage and retention of DBS Disclosures

All DBS information including application forms and Disclosure certificates are retained within the Chelmsford Admissions Office in secure lockable filing cabinets. All application forms are dispatched to the DBS by Recorded Delivery.

All DBS Disclosure certificates are shredded after 6 months in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

Anglia Ruskin University is not permitted to take copies or provide copies of your DBS Disclosures to third parties.

The DBS Recheck process (Nursing, Midwifery, ODP and Social Work students only)

All students studying on Nursing, Midwifery and Operating Department Practice courses will be required to undergo the DBS application process on an annual basis. When you are required to do this you will be either sent an application pack with full details or provided this by your IBL Facilitator.

DBS Annual Rechecks for nursing, midwifery and ODP are funded by the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and therefore are free of charge.

Social Work students will be required to obtain new DBS Enhanced Level clearance towards the end of the 2nd year of study to allow entry into practice placements in years 3 and 4. Social Work students will be expected to meet the £44.00 processing fee.

Intermitting students

If you have intermitted from your course of study you must ensure you have a valid DBS Enhanced Disclosure in place before you can return to training from intermission.

A valid DBS Disclosure certificate must have been completed through Anglia Ruskin University at Enhanced Level and be less than 6 months old on the date that you return to your course.

You will be contacted 8-12 weeks prior to your return date and provided with a DBS application pack, please return this as promptly as possible as without clearance you will be unable to attend any of your practice placements and this could jeopardise the completion of your course.

All students returning from intermission, required to obtain a new DBS Enhanced Level clearance, must pay the £44.00 application fee.

How to contact us

If you have any questions relating to DBS please contact the DBS Officer Fleur Mitchell on 0845 196 4984 or email crb@anglia.ac.uk

Forms

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